2019-11-10
Spreuke 16:32 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Dit is beter om geduldig te wees as dapper. Selfbeheersing is beter as om ‘n stad in te neem.’ As Christen het jy die Heilige Gees wat in jou woon, en een van die vrugte van die Gees is ‘selfbeheersing’ (sien Galasiërs 5:23). Dit beteken dat jy as Christen jou humeur kan beheer en dat jy as Christen dit moet beheer. Jy sê: ‘Ek word maklik kwaad, want ek het Ierse bloed wat in my are vloei.’ Jy is nie veronderstel om volgens jou ou natuur te lewe nie, maar volgens jou nuwe natuur! Woede is soos ‘n rivier. Wanneer dit beheer word, kan dit genoeg elektrisiteit genereer om aan ‘n hele stad elektrisiteit te voorsien. Onbeheersd kan dit deur sy walle breek en ‘n woedende vloed word wat alles in sy pad vernietig. Net soos ‘n rivier beheer kan word, so kan jou humeur beheer word. Was jy al ooit tuis in ‘n groot argument met jou eggenoot of een van jou kinders betrokke gewees? Skielik lui die foon; jy tel dit dadelik op en antwoord in ‘n sagte, beheersde stem: ‘Hallo-o-o-o. Kan ek help?’ Wat het nou net gebeur? Jy het bewys dat jou woede beheer en getem kan word. Die Bybel sê: “‘n Geduldige mens het insig. Iemand wat kort van draad is, stal sy dwaasheid uit” (Spreuke 14:29 NLV) Dis nie werd om oor alles kwaad te word nie. Hoe kalmer jy ‘n situasie sien, hoe duideliker sal jy sien hoe om dit te hanteer. As jy dus ‘n vinnige humeur het, is hier goeie raad. Wanneer jy kwaad is, tel tot tien voor jy praat. Wanneer jy regtig kwaad is, tel tot ‘n honderd – en moet dan niks sê nie.
Sielskos: Gen 14:18-24; Ps 110; Heb 5:5-10
Proverbs 16:32 NKJV
The Bible says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” As a Christian you have the Holy Spirit living within you, and one of the fruits of the Spirit is “self-control” (See Galatians 5:23). That means as a Christian you can control your temper, and as a Christian you must control it. You say, “I get mad easily because I’m Irish!” You’re not supposed to live according to your old nature, but your new one! Anger is like a river. Controlled, it can generate enough electricity to power an entire city. Uncontrolled, it can overflow its banks and become a raging flood that destroys everything in its path. And as surely as a river can be controlled, so can your temper. Have you ever been in a big argument at home with your spouse or one of your kids? Suddenly the telephone rings; instantly you pick it up and answer in a soft, controlled tone, “Hello-o-o-o. May I help you?” What just happened? You proved that your anger can be controlled and tamed. The Bible says, “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness” (Proverbs 14:29 NLT). Not everything is worth getting angry about. The more calmly you see a situation, the more clearly you’ll see how to handle it. So if you have a quick temper, here’s some good advice. When you’re angry, count to ten before you speak. And when you’re really angry, count to one hundred – then don’t say anything.
Soul food: Gen 14:18-24; Ps 110; Heb 5:5-10
2019-11-09
Spreuke 14:17 NLV
Die waarheid is dat wanneer jou humeur die oorhand kry, dit die slegste van jou openbaar. Die Bybel sê drie dinge oor onregverdige woede wat jy in gedagte moet hou: 1) Dis dom. ‘Iemand wat kort van draad is, doen dom dinge. Almal haat ‘n agterbakse mens’ (vers 17 NLV). Benjamin Franklin het in Poor Richard’s Almanac geskryf: ‘Take this remark from Richard poor and lame; Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.’ 2) Dis verdelend. “‘n Humeurige mens sit twis aan die gang. ‘n Verdraagsame mens sit ‘n stryery stop” (Spreuke 15:18 NLV). Soms word ons met goeie rede kwaad. Die meeste van die tyd gebeur dit egter omdat ons selfsugtig, ongeduldig, geïrriteerd of seergemaak oor die manier wat ons behandel word, is. In plaas daarvan om die probleem op te los, maak woede dit net erger. 3) Dis destruktief. “‘n Humeurige mens betaal self die prys daarvoor. As jy hom eers een keer oorsien, moet jy dit elke keer herhaal” (Spreuke 19:19 NLV). Dit beteken dat wanneer jy jou humeur verloor, hou jy aan verloor. Jy sal vriende verloor, jy sal die liefde en respek van jou familie verloor, jy sal jou sakevennote verloor en dit kan ook veroorsaak dat jy jou gesondheid verloor. John Hunter, ‘n sielkundige met ‘n ernstige hartkondisie, het gesê: ‘My lewe is aan die genade van die een wat my kwaad maak oorgelaat… die eerste skelm wat my kwaad maak, kan my dood maak.’ Raai wat? Jy kan daardie skelm wees! Vra dus vir God om jou te help om jou woede te beheer.
Sielskos: 1 Kro 23:21-26:19; Joh 10:1-10; Ps 99; Spr 26:1-6
Proverbs 14:17 NKJV
The truth is that when your temper gets the best of you, it reveals the worst of you. The Bible says three things about unrighteous anger that you need to keep in mind: (1) It’s stupid. “A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of wicked intentions is hated” (v. 17 NKJV). Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard’s Almanac: “Take this remark from Richard poor and lame; Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.” (2) It’s divisive. “A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them” (Proverbs 15:18 NLT). Occasionally we may become angry for good reason. But most of the time it’s because we’re selfish, impatient, irritated, or hurt about the way we have been treated. Humorist Will Rogers once said, “People who fly into a rage seldom make a good landing.” Instead of solving the problem, anger only makes it worse. (3) It’s destructive. “Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again” (Proverbs 19:19 NLT). That means when you keep losing your temper, you keep losing. You will lose friends, you will lose the love and respect of your family, you will lose your business associates, and it can even cause you to lose your health. John Hunter, a psychologist who had a severe heart condition, said, “My life is at the mercy of the person who can make me angry…the first scoundrel who gets me angry can kill me.” And guess what? That scoundrel can be you! So ask God to help you control your anger.
Soul food: 1 Chr 23:21-26:19; John 10:1-10; Ps 99; Prov 26:1-6
2019-11-08
Ephesians 4:26 NLT
The first mention of anger in Scripture is when Cain got so angry with his brother Abel that he murdered him. Sixty percent of all murders in America are committed by family members. But anger not only kills others, it can kill you. Dr. Redford Williams, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Duke University, states: “The hostility and anger associated with Type-A behavior is a major contributor to heart disease. People who struggle with anger are five times more likely to suffer coronary heart disease, and people with heart disease more than double their risk of a heart attack when they get angry.” Of course, there’s a difference between anger and mere aggravation. A little girl asked her father to explain that difference. So he picked up the phone, dialed a number, allowed his daughter to listen in, and when the other person answered, he said, “Hello. Is Melvin there?” Back came the answer, “There’s no one here named Melvin. Why don’t you look up numbers before you dial them?” The father waited a moment, then re-dialed the number. “Hello. Is Melvin there?” The man yelled, “I just told you there’s no Melvin here! Don’t call this number again!” then slammed down the receiver. The father looked at his daughter and said, “Honey, that was anger. Now let me show you aggravation.” He dialed the number again and when a voice roared back, “Hello!” her dad calmly said, “Hi. This is Melvin, have there been any calls for me?” The word anger is only one letter short of the word danger. So ask God to help you manage your anger. He will!
Soul food: 1 Chr 19:1-23:20; John 9:24-41; Ps 115; Prov 25:26-28
